Notts firefighters rescue 15 obese people in a year

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service were called out to rescue obese people 15 times last year, new figures have shown.

Released as part of a Freedom of Information Act, the stats show that the number of bariatric rescues the force have been called to has risen slightly.

Between 2012 and June 30, 2016, Nottinghamshire firefighters have been called out to a total of 57 bariatric rescues, which often require specialist lifting equipment. No further details of the rescues and the circumstances have been released.

Nationally, the number of obese people having to be rescued from their homes by the fire service has increased by more than a third over the last three years, according to figures obtained by BBC Radio 5 Live. The BBC reports that bariatric rescues have increased from 709 in 2012-13 to 944 in 2015-16.

In 2012, Nottinghamshire firefighters were called to 15 bariatric rescues. This decreased slightly to 12 in both 2013 and 2014 before rising to 15 again in 2015. In 2016, up to June 30, there have been five bariatric rescues so far.

“As these figures show the amount of bariatric rescues we are attending each year has increased recently, however we are well prepared for them and, as an emergency service, we are here to help people in distress, and we will always do that,” said Group Manager Joanne Wooler-Ward.

“They can often be quite complex and drawn out incidents and normally involve us working very closely with our colleagues at East Midlands Ambulance Service to get individuals to a place of safety, this could be somewhere else in their home or into an ambulance.

“From there they can then get whatever help they need, which is the most important thing.”

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